IMS Updates

Ericsson and Vodafone launched an IMS network in Czech republic this week. Under an agreement signed earlier this year, Ericsson was responsible for delivery and systems integration of its advanced IMS solution, along with project management, network design and implementation. With Ericsson's IMS solution, Vodafone Czech Republic can offer a wide range of next-generation IP telephony and multimedia services towards both fixed and mobile users. It said IMS is an important step towards fixed-mobile convergence. The international-standards-based technology is highly scalable, takes care of connection control, and ensures service quality as well as network and service security.

Aricent, a full-service, full-spectrum communications Software Company, announced this week that it has joined the IMS Forum, the industry's only forum dedicated to the acceleration of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) application and service interoperability. Aricent has a dedicated IMS practice, with more than 800 person years of experience, offering an extensive portfolio of IMS software services and products. The services range from initial strategy and design, through software implementation to system integration and testing for the entire IMS architecture. These services accelerate time-to-revenue for Aricent clients and reduce their risks when deploying IMS-based solutions. With a comprehensive portfolio of IMS software services and products Aricent enables communications equipment manufacturers, device manufacturers and service providers to significantly reduce their time–to-market and mitigate the risks associated with IMS migration and roll-out.

Meanwhile, The IMS Forum, the industry's only Forum delivering IMS services interoperability verification and certification, announced recently that they have signed an MOU with the International Multimedia Telecommunications Consortium (IMTC), an international alliance of companies working together to improve the customer experience and accelerate market adoption of content delivery and unified communications solutions through interoperability of products and services based on open standards. The IMS Forum focuses on interoperability at the IMS Applications and Services Layer across mobile, fixed and cable broadband networks. The IMTC IMS Activity Group focuses on issues surrounding IMS Client interoperability, development and providing feedback to standards organizations.

Under the terms of the agreement, the IMS Forum and the IMTC will establish both a technical liaison between their Technical Working Groups and a marketing liaison. Through these liaisons the two groups will exchange technical information on IMS specifications, testing and interoperability, share interoperability testing best practices, collaborate on technical documents, and organize and participate in future joint testing events. The marketing liaison between the Marketing Working Groups will allow the organizations to share the results of their joint activities with the industry as well as promote this technology's adoption.